Tent structure



April 20 1926.

1.581331 5. R. SMiTH TENT STRUCTURE Filed May 10, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1S. R. SMiTH April 20 1926.

TENT STRUCTURE Filed May 10, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 29,1926.

' UNITED STATES SAM B. SMITH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TENT STRUCTURE.

Application filed May 10. 1924.

To iii/tom it may come/w:

Be it known that 1.91! ll. turn. a citizen of the United States. and aresident oi Los Angcles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia. have invented new and useful Improvements in TentStructures. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to and has for it main object the provision of animproved form of tent structure of composite char actor. and adapted toride a coilnpsihle frame. which, when its parts are titted to netherwill provide a rigid support for a tent czipalille of being readilyassembled and dis-assembled at will.

In the consideration of this invention rel crence is had to my pendingapplication for patent 'l'or tents. iilcd Dec. l8. 132: Serial Number(107.43%. the present invention di closing numerous improved details andtea tin-cs oi construction.

Another object is to provide in a tent structure a collapsible frame forsupporting; a tent. and a plurality of wind braces adapted to beadjusted to ditlerent positions and constituting guys for bracing thetent against the action ot' the elements. and arranged so thatadditional rigidity may be provided in the tent structure under extremeconditions.

Another object is to provide a frame coinposed of a sectional circularsupport composed of a plurzility of normally straight sections formed ofspring material such as spring steel or the like, and capable of beingbent into arcuate form and held for supporting the hip of the tent,together With means for supporting said member on the tent.

A nothcr object is to provide a tent structure includinp a tent having asingle central supporting pole of sectional character, and a sectionalmember of circular form adapted to he supported on the tent inconcentric relation to said pole, and means whereby when the lower edgeof the tent is staked or otherwise attached to the ground and suitablyguyed from the hip the rigid structure will he provided.

Still other objects will appear as the description progresses.

I have shown one preferred form of my invention in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of an assembled structure embodying, myimprovements.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Serial No. 712,293.

Fig. 23 is an enlarged fragmentary section oi the tent. showimr meansfor adjustahlv supporting the tent frame. I

Fig. lis a fragmentary interior view of the same. i

Fig. 5 a. trnmnentary section at the apex of the tent. showing themanner of attaching the tent to the supporting polc.

Fig. 6 is a fragnicnary section at the lower edge or" the tent. showingthe manner oi attaching the tent to the ground.

Fig. T is a side elevation oi an umhrrlla lent em odying myimprovcmcnts. with the shirt of the tent omitted.

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan of the structure shown in Figs. 1. and T online 88 of Fi z. 2.

Fi i) is a t'rugl'ncntary view of the tent. showing an improved type ofguy or Wind lu'ace in position for bracing the tent under normalconditions.

Fig. lt is a slightly reduced view of the same. showingthe guy or windbrace arranged for supporting the tent under extreme conditions.

Fig. 1.1 is a fragmentunv section similar to and showing the substitutefor the frame supporting device shown in Fig. 3. and par ticularlytltltlpttll'lll" to the form lit tent shown in Fig. '4'.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged iiew ot a pair ot sections forming the maincircular tent sup porting member. showing their normal and operativepositions.

It will be understood in the consideration of this invention that in theconstruction of tents for use on camping expeditions and other purposes.it is desirable to provide a form of tent which can he quickly assembledand dis-assembled by unskilled persons. and to this end I have disclosedin the drawings and will describe in detail in this specification. mypresent in'lprovements which embody but two primary supporting membersfor the tent. namely, a central pole and a circular frame concentricallyarranged around said pole, over which the tent is adapted to be placed,and by means of which it is adapted to be held securely in position.

For convenience sake, the said supporting members are composed of shortsections so that the entire structure. including the tent proper. may herolled into a bundle of compact and convenient size, and altogether willprovide a structure of minimum Weight.

New, referring particularly to the drawill) in t's, the tent T iscomposed of a conical upper section or top 1 formed of plurality oftriang ularly cHl strips: of material stitched together at the runiting: edges, llllt; a lower suirt or wall, portion i" also composedot a. plurality of strips of c ial. preferably, ihoue'h notiwov-sai'ilr, oi unit'orin width throughout their length and similarlyrtitched together at their mating edges.

" may also hare a sealloped The tent 1 apron R5 at (I. either forming:an extension front the top t. or suitably attached thereto and t'orinedot' a separate strip ot material this being immaterial to in intention.

One or more doors are provided in the wall porti nis 2: of the tent.which torru closures for substantially elongated openings 0. and aiddoors may be arranged to be held in closed position by suitable devices.

One or iuore windows \V, W. etc, are also provided in the wall portions1" of the tent. which are preferably covered by strips of gauze materialas at y, so as to prevent the entrance of insects to the interior of thetent. The windows may be closed by suitable flaps, f extensihly carriedon the outer sloping sides of the wall portions 2. so as to pan tiall ior wholly close the windows may be desired.

is hereiubet'iire stated the t'ranie tor supporting the tent is composedof two coniposife members. namely, a central pole P and a circular ringIt. Pole 1" is composed of a pluinlit m sect ons 1. 1, etc. with theirabutting ends telescoped onto sleeves 2, etc. which are suhstantiallxelongated and serve to cover the joint v between the sections and tohold the pole rigidly in position.

The sleeves 2 may be permanently attached to one 01 the adjacent:sections so that they will not be displaced from operative position. Thel o" o'n ot' the pole l may have a sleeve it atte h l thereto t'orforming a suitable rest on the sin-lure of the ground.

ihe upper end of the pole carrie a suitable sleeve 7 with a reducedextension (5, which is adai ite'tl to be inserted through. an opening Tin the top 2 of the tent. and a rope or cord is ieri erably held withina circular seain 9 at the apex of the tent for reinforcing the portionsf ot the tent around the open mg a.

The circular ring it is composed of a plurality of sections 10, 1Q etc.with their abutting end portions telescoped. into short metallic sleevesll. 11. etc.. as shown in Figs. S and ti], and referring" particularlyto Fig. l3, it wi l be ohseri'ed that the rods 1t), 10, ot the ring Rare normally straight and are adapted to be made of spring steel orsimilar inateriah which may be bent inwardly on the normal curve of thetent, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 19. when the ring R is as embled.and which will have sufiicient resilieney to restore the rods 10 totheir nor and straight lines. as indicated in full lines in Fig. 12,when the ring is disassembled.

\Vhen the members 10, 10, etc., and 11, ll. (l are assembled togetherfor LOHlPlCllilg the ring: R a rigid structure oi circular term isprovided. and the adjacent ends of the members 10, 10, will be held inabutting positions by means of the resilie in the men hers 10, 10, etc.

The ring It is positioned in and supported on the interior of the tentat the hip of the joint between the. top portion f and the wall portionI". Said ring: inn. be supporli d. especially in the form of tent shownin F g l and by means of a plurality of devi is shown in Fig. 3 thisstructure includes a plurality of flaps 13 made ot the material of whichthe portions t and 2" are nnule, and stitched to the. tent wall at theiredges ll, while their outer portions if) have strips 16 of materialstitched thereto and providing loops to which may be attached hooks h:ulapted to he adjustably connected to chains composed of a plurality oflinlis. and the uppermost link of each of said chains is attached to astrip of material 17 attached to the wall of the tent, which may bereinforced by another strip of material 18.

Thus, one utter the other, when the tent has been raised to itsapproximate height by means ot a pole l. and the ring R has beenassembled, the hooks H are adjustahly counected to the chains (3 forsupporting the ring within the flaps 13 and between said trips and thetent wall. Thus, as the ring is linally secured in position at itsplurality of supporting points, the ring will hold the lower edge of thetop I concentrically with respect to the pole l.

Now, the lower edge of the skirt or wall portion t is preferablyprovided with an open seam 19 in which a rope or cord 20 is held, and ata plurality of points around this lower edge, preferably at the seamsbetween the several strips forming the wall, rings 21 having loops 22and 23 formed thereon and disposed at right angles to each other arethreaded onto the ropes or cords 20, and the outer loops 23 extendoutwardly from the tent Wall and overlie the ground so as to receivestakes S which are adapted to be driven into the ground for firmly holding the lower edge of the tent in position.

It is preferable that the. diameter of the tent at the bottom should besubstantially greater than the diameter at the hip on the junctionbetween the top and bottom as indicated in line 88 in Fig. 2.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10. the tent structure is adapted to be bracedagainst. the action of the elements to a i-inter or lesser degree mymeans of the structure shown in the drawings which constitute ample guysof adjustable character for chis purpose. These guys G, G, etc., areformed of single pieces of rope or cords 24, and one end of each of saidropes has a snap hook .5 attaced thereto by means of a metal sleeve .26,through which the rope is extended upwardly and downwardly, as shown,for providing a loop 27 for the reception ot the hook the end 01' therope being knotted at adjacent the sleeve 26 for preventing thedetachment: of the hook therefrom.

The opposite end of each of said guys is provided with a metallic sleeve29 through which the rope 24 is extended, and the end of the rope isknotted at 30 for holding the member 29 in position thereon. This member29 is of usual character and has an elongated portion 31 ot' arcuatecross section, with an opening 32 therein through which the centralportion of the rope is extended, so that a loop :32 is provided abovethe SUP face of the ground which is connected with a loop 33 of a link22 similar to that shown in Fig. 6, While the right angularly disposedloop 23 of said link receives a stake S driven at an angle into theground. Thus,

'i when the guy G is attached to a link 33 at the hip of the tent, asshown in Fig. 9, and to the ground by means of stake S, the member 25)may be pulled up *ardly so that the rope 24 will move through the eye 32thereof for tightening the guy ti, and. this structure will serve tobrace the tent under normal conditions.

In Fig. 10, however, I have shown a slightly different arrangei'nent ofthe guys G for bracing the tent under extreme con ditions, where greaterrigidity is desirable. This method incorporates the same structure shownin hip. 5), with the exception that all of the guys (1 are provided withpins Ell; which have eyes 35 through which the central portion of theropes 2-1- are extended, and said ropes are knotted at 36 at the pointof attachment to the pins 34, so as to hold said pins in statedpositions.

Under extreme conditions the rope 24 may be slacked to a sufficientextent so that a tube or pipe 36 may be positioned between the groundand the guy, as shown in Fig.

10, the pin 34 being extended into the upper end of the tube 36', andthe lower end of said tube being braced against the ground at or nearthe base of the tent, and disposed at an acute angle from the ground, sothat any undue strains due to winds or some other elements will bedirected against the ground rather than against the tent Thus, themembers 36' serve as struts in a truss which deflect the strains.

lVhen the tent is assembled for use, the stakes S attached to the guys Gare spaced substantially from the base 01 the tent so as to permit theinterposition of the members 36' when occasion requires, withoutchanging the stakes S.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, my type of tent structure adapts itselfreadily to the use of only the top portion 15 without the wall portion6, and this feature is desirable especially for seaside resorts and forproviding sun shades for the beaches and other places where the fullcamping equipment is not necessary.

In the use of this type of device one of the sections of the centralpole P may be omitted so as to bring the top 2, of the tent down closerto the ground, and the guys G may be employed in connection with thistent in either of the forms shown in Figs. 9 and 10, as may be necessaryand depending upon conditions.

hat I claim is:

The tent structure including a tent, means for supporting the same onthe ground in extended position, and a circular member carried on thewall of said tent for holding the same extended concentrically withrespect to said supporting member, said supporting member and saidcircular member being composed of a plurality of telescoping sections,flexible members attached to the interior of said tent forming loops forholding said circular member in position, and means for adjustablyattaching said flexible members for stretching the tent to a desiredextent.

SAM B. SMITH.

